Pro Day Report: Giants scouts watch Haason Reddick, Dion Dawkins at Temple

It is now time for Pro Day visits as we inch closer to the 2017 NFL Draft. As usual, Big Blue View will report on the latest nuggets of news to see who the New York Giants are interested in. As per Ryan Dunleavy of the Star-Ledger, the Giants had two representatives observing Temple’s Pro Day on Wednesday morning.

Two prospects to note from Temple are edge rusher Haason Reddick and offensive lineman Dion Dawkins. Chris has detailed scouting reports on both Reddick and Dawkins.

During the NFL Combine, Reddick posted some monster numbers. His 4.52 40-yard dash and 133-inch broad jump were the best for any edge rusher. When adjusting for his weight, Reddick had the fifth-best SPARQ out of any edge rusher in the combine. Some now report that Reddick will see his name called in the first round.

The main concern with Reddick is his small size and scheme fit. At 6-foot-1 and 237 pounds, Reddick would certainly have to convert to a linebacker in the NFL. After playing as a pass rush specializing defense end, the conversion to linebacker might require some crafty scheming for whoever drafts him. Chris believes there is a place for him on the Giants.

“Reddick could probably be employed by the Giants in the same manner as they had envisioned using [Leonard] Floyd before the 2016 draft. As a weak-side linebacker, protected from blockers by the Giants’ stout defensive line, he would be able to use his prodigious athleticism to “clean up” running plays, drop in coverage over the middle, or put his pass rushing experience to good use as a blitzer.”

There seems to be a lot of comparisons between Reddick and the next Temple prospect, Dion Dawkins. Both are New Jersey natives playing for Temple, and both are elite athletes for their position.

Without a doubt, Dawkins got some looks from Giants scouts who know they are in need of offensive linemen. To start, Dawkins passes the measurables test with a 6-foot, 4-inch height and a weight of 314 pounds. His 35-inch arms combined with an impressive 26 reps at the bench press speak to his athleticism. In fact, his SPARQ rating makes him the sixth-most athletic offense linemen tested at the Combine.

However, there is one weakness that all Giants fans are becoming weary about: a poor first-step. As Chris wrote in his scouting report, “Kick slide doesn’t look fluid, might struggle on the edge in the NFL.” He continues to say that perhaps offensive tackle is not the best position for the Dawkins. “My feeling is that he would be best served by moving inside to guard at the next level.” Currently, the official NFL web site projects him as a second-round talent.

What do you think Giants fans? Are either of these guys on your draft wish list?